A Housing Slowdown?
Not if You Ask Builders

Everyone has heard the housing market is showing signs of slowing. But the companies that build homes aren't going to let popular wisdom gum up their works -- or their stocks -- if they can help it.

New-home construction rose 5.3% in November from the previous month, the largest monthly increase in housing starts since April and far above the level economists and analysts were expecting. The pace of applications filed by builders for future construction also picked up last month.